# The Parrot and the Cat explained — Aesop's Fables

> Chapter companion for Aesop's Fables by Aesop.

## What happens

A man buys a parrot and gives it freedom in his house. The parrot's loud noise wakes a sleeping cat, who questions the parrot's audacity. The cat complains that despite being born in the house, she is punished for mewing, while the parrot boasts that its voice is welcomed and the cat's is despised.

## Themes in this chapter

### Appearance vs. Reality

The parrot's voice is perceived as delightful while the cat's similar mewing is seen as a nuisance, highlighting how perception shapes reality.

### Social Hierarchy and Power

The cat, though a long-time resident, is treated poorly, while the newcomer parrot is favored, illustrating shifting power dynamics and favoritism.

## Character check-ins

### The Cat

The cat, born and raised in the house, resents the parrot's noisy intrusion and complains of being mistreated for mewing.

### The Parrot

The newly bought parrot revels in its liberty and loudly asserts that its voice is cherished, unlike the cat's.

## Key lines

> My voice they delight in; but yours—yours is a perfect nuisance.

People enjoy my voice, but yours is thoroughly annoying.

_The parrot contrasts the reception of its own voice with that of the cat's._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se/chapters/the-parrot-and-the-cat
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se/chapters